<p><span><span>- Right under our noses, the city of Ipswich has been harbouring some serious musical talent in the last few years, with all manner of punk and underground sounds emerging from the town. The instrumental trio Coalfalls are indicative of the diversity that emanates from the area, specialising in a particularly liquid form of jangling post-rock shoegaze. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Named after the Ipswich suburb in which two members reside, Coalfalls combines sparse but precise and punchy rhythms, chugging<strong> Joy Division</strong>-esque bass and shards of electric guitar textures. Their live shows, while few at this point, have always been vibey and uplifting. The undeniable chemistry that the musicians have is summed up succinctly on their debut seven inch single <em>Stephenson Street / Coalfalls</em>.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Available both as a download and limited vinyl, the single opens with the propulsive shimmer of <em>Stephenson Street</em>, four minutes of pure headrush bliss. Almost quiet and majestic at the beginning, the track builds up to something more loud and ominous, but never loses its dreamy touch. It’s the catchiest pop song without words I’ve heard so far this year. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>On the flipside, you’ll find the band’s self-titled paean to the sleepy, hospitable vibe of their home suburb. In this one, the ascending bass line takes centre stage, while clouds of guitar wisp around the speakers and the drums keep a <strong>Neu!</strong>-esque motorik rhythm. The songs bops along like a kind of bass mantra, the guitars culminating in some high surfy tones. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>There is a multi-formatted artistic streak to the band as well. The gorgeous cover artwork is painted by bassist Gary Abkin, while the band have also dropped a video for Stephenson Street in which the distinct Australiana of driving along a eucalyptus-columned road is bent into kaleidoscopic visuals that go perfectly with the music, while the band is faintly seen jamming in the background. According to their Facebook page, there is also a video for the flipside track coming out soon, so it’s clear that the band gets a kick out of combining music and image.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Once this cursed pandemic is over and we cautiously start stepping out to gigs again, Coalfalls should be one of the names to look out for. I sense their soundscapes will provide a welcoming soundtrack as we rub our eyes and prepare to interact again. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Matt Thrower.</span></span></p>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=349656262/size=large/bgcol=ff…; seamless><a href="http://4000records.bandcamp.com/album/stephenson-street-coalfalls-singl… Street / Coalfalls [Single] by Coalfalls</a></iframe><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jT57WZ96iWA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>